MONTH OF January
Hello, leader of the resolution pack! It’s not just because you’re a competitive Leo that you’re front of the line to start crushing the new year. The first three weeks of the year are always Capricorn season, when the Sun is in your efficient and organized sixth house. Until January 20, you’ve got this premium fuel in your tank. However, you might still run into some engine trouble. Communication and technology planet Mercury is retrograde until January 18, which could throw a few obstacles in your path, no matter how carefully you plot and pave it.
Here’s a silver lining, Leo: You have time to explore possibilities that you hadn’t yet considered, ones that are refreshingly far outside of your comfort zone. With lucky Jupiter in Aries and your expansive, globetrotting ninth house until May 16, the first half of the year is an open invitation to try something brand-new. And you’re ready for it!
The obstacle course starts clearing up as the month continues. On January 12, energizer Mars ends a ten-week retrograde in Gemini and your teamwork zone. If a collaboration got complicated or you’ve had trouble seeing eye-to-eye with a friend, you can get back on the same wavelength again. Mars will remain here until March 25, revving up your social life and bringing exciting opportunities to network with innovative thinkers. An online venture or tech-based project could move quickly, too.
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Partnerships become the main theme for a month starting January 20, when the Sun scoots into Aquarius and your dynamic-duo zones. And you’ll have even more reason to compound your crew the next day, when Lunar New Year’s Eve ushers in the Year of the Water Rabbit, an abundant new 12-month cycle.
On January 22, Uranus, the last remaining retrograde planet, powers forward in Taurus and your ambitious tenth house. Not only does this move your professional plans forward, it also leaves the skies free and clear of any retrogrades for the next couple months. Now you can start putting your grand Leo plans into action. Happy belated New Year!
It’s Capricorn season until January 20 (but Mercury’s retrograde until January 18)
Affix those New Year’s goals to the mirror, Leo—or wherever you’ll be most likely to see them. Until January 20, the Sun is in Capricorn and your sixth house of health and organization, helping you start the year from a strategic and action-driven place.
You’re ready to whip your world into serious shape. Focus on anything that needs to be cleaned up—your kitchen cabinets, the pile in your inbox—and let the decluttering commence! Apply your keen analytical powers to a staffing issue at work, making an effort to get on the same page as your colleagues or employees. Are some of your skills or certifications getting rusty? Take a short class to get up to industry-standard speed.
Beware not to overdo any ambitious plans though—you have the beclass=”body-el-link standard-body-el-link” st intentions, but communication planet Mercury is retrograde until January 18, causing crossed wires and misunderstandings. With mindful Mercury back-spinning through Capricorn and your healthy sixth house, you’ll want to guard against viruses (not just the infamous one) and winter colds.
Starting a New Year’s health regimen or diving into big plans? Pace yourself with both work and workouts. Otherwise, you could find that you’ve taken on too much and simply can’t manage all the details. Go easy on yourself—and others. Check and double-check all communications before pressing “send” or “post.”
You’ll be on “get-‘er-done” fire on January 18, when the Sun and incisive Pluto have their once-a-year summit in Capricorn, right as Mercury retrograde ends. This is the day to whip out the whiteboard and dry-erase markers and start plotting your long-term master plan. You could have a major flash of insight about how to make a grand concept work, although you might get a little obsessive about it with penetrating Pluto involved. But if there was ever a day to let your strategic side shine, it’s this one.
The January 6 Cancer full moon brings cosmic closure
Is unfinished business still lingering in your space? On January 6, the first full moon of 2023 lands in Cancer and your twelfth house of healing, closure and transitions. A situation you’ve been forcing or a pattern you’ve been clinging to does NOT belong in this brand-new calendar year, Leo. This potent full moon helps you process and release it.
La luna is in a tight opposition to Mercury retrograde in your perfectionistic and analytical sixth house. Are you being super-hard on yourself again, Leo? Forgive yourself, make amends and do what it takes to clean the slate. You’re invited to make peace with the things that are beyond your control, and that includes other people’s choices and behavior. No amount of guilt, rationalizing or denial will prevent circumstances from putting that truth right in your face today.
Since this full moon arrives as everyone’s getting back to work (although it’s on a Friday), look for places where you’ve been micromanaging or not asking for support from colleagues. Rather than start overfunctioning to get the shiny gold star, make it a team effort.
Plan for an evening of self-care, early bedtime and spiritual nourishment (yoga, meditation, a soul-stirring film). You’re likely to feel extremely tired under this restful and healing full moon, and perhaps all the holiday running around is finally catching up with you. Maybe you’ve avoided feeling some pain or grief. At this full moon, it could come to you in a powerful dream or through a rush of unexpected emotions. Keep a journal handy and capture those insights because your subconscious has important guidance to deliver—and you won’t want to dismiss it.
Partner up: Aquarius season begins on January 20
There’s nothing better than good company, whether it’s to enjoy life’s pleasures or get through its challenges. Lions, after all, are family-oriented animals, and you as a Leo love to be amongst your beloved clan! Great news: When the Sun swings into Aquarius and your seventh house of one-on-one partnerships for a month this January 20, your inner-circle bonds become top priority.
For the next four weeks, focus on your closest alliances. Maybe you want to improve communication with a partner, personal or professional. You’re not in the mood to go through these early-2023 days alone—companionship is where it’s at! Be proactive about planning fun outings or scheduling a business strategy sesh. It’s time to really explore the possibilities of joining forces. If there’s a great synergy, you could make things official between now and February 18.
Enter the Water Rabbit! Aquarius new moon and Lunar New Year’s Eve on January 21
Dynamic duos really kick off on January 21, when the annual Aquarius new moon brings fresh-start energy to your seventh house of relationships. Someone you meet today could take on a key role between now and the August 1 Aquarius full moon. If you’re working to improve a partnership or exploring something with the potential to become serious, today is a great starting point. Ready to get official? With Mercury retrograde finally over, it’s safe to sign your name on the dotted line, and this is a perfect day for class=”body-el-link standard-body-el-link” that.
Lions and Tigers and Hares, oh my! This evening will also kick off the Lunar Year of the Water Rabbit, a creative and compassionate 12-month cycle that can usher in abundance (bunnies are known for multiplying, after all). This may be a relief after last year, which was ruled by the unpredictable Water Tiger. Look back to February 1, 2022, and the strange road you’ve traveled since then. Would you have predicted you’d be here right now? Probably not! The Tiger taught you to adapt, but if you’re ready for a bit more comfort and companionship, you’ll get a bounty of it from the bunny.
Career catalyst: Uranus retrograde ends on January 22
Step up and lead, Leo! Exciting professional projects could be on their way—and you’ll want to keep your calendar open. On January 22, changemaker Uranus ends a five-month retrograde through Taurus and your career zone, a backspin that began on August 24. This slowdown may have disrupted your ambitious plans or distracted you from your mission.
As Uranus corrects course and turns direct (forward), a chance to rise into a leadership or prominent role could come, perhaps unexpectedly. If you haven’t been able to express your pioneering ideas or to get others to buy into them, that could all change.
Whether that looks like owning a business or leading a team, the point is for you to be in charge of your terrain. You want to be able to look back in a year and say, “That milestone was met because of MY process” or “That happened because of me!” There’s a distinct line between taking pride in your achievements (that’s called mastery and self-expression) and being an ego-driven glory hog. Stay rooted in the former and you could make a powerful contribution, adding to your Leonine legacy.
Love is in the winter air as 2023 begins! From January 2 to 26, romantic Venus will make its way through Aquarius and your seventh house of partnerships, bringing an officializing tone to the month. For couples, it’s a lovely time to get back in harmony, and solo Lions could connect with someone who has serious LTR potential.
Of course, it doesn’t help that Mercury, the planet that rules communication and decision-making, will be in a confused retrograde state until January 18. You may feel totally ready to move forward then second-guess your convictions a few minutes later. Oh, Leo!
The other love planet, Mars, is also retrograde until January 12, but in indecisive Gemini. Beware the habit of opinion-polling your friends, much less CARING about their opinions or worse, comparing your relationship to theirs. Unless they’re sounding an issue that’s actual cause for concern, what they think about your love life is none of YOUR business—so don’t go asking about it! If they genuinely see you making a poor choice, on the other hand, then hear them out.
When Mars turns direct (forward) on January 12, a friendship could reveal romantic potential, and single Leos could find success on the dating apps with the red planet in your tech-savvy eleventh house. Is it time to “soft-launch” your relationship with an Instagram reveal? Although Mars will still be retrograde, this January 9 serves up a sizzling Venus-Mars trine that’s perfect for your royal debut.
For couples, if your social life has been a source of strife (maybe one of you went too heavy on the holiday drinking or you’ve been too busy for date nights), Mars can get things back on an even keel. Helpful hint: You don’t have to do everything together. If you’ve been joined at the hip, especially over the holidays, mix it up by hanging with your individual friend crews or pursuing your own hobbies. Simultaneously, find some shared new activities beyond your usual routines that you can both try together.
How about planning a sexy Valentine’s getaway with some fun and novel activities? From January 26 to February 20, Venus will visit Pisces and your erotic eighth house, turning up the smolder. A trip to Costa Rica with horseback riding on the beach…or a vineyard wine-tasting tour with a night in a decadent and charming local inn. Choose your pleasure, Leo! If you don’t have a romantic plus-one, treat yourself to sensual experiences that put you in a receptive mood.
The divine is in the details, Leo. The Sun is in Capricorn until January 20, putting you in a highly efficient mode…so get down to business! You might need to tackle some paperwork or issues you’ve been putting off, like taking a realistic look at your budget or finding a new health insurance provider. You could be up for a performance review, or perhaps you’ll be making a case for that well-deserved raise. Schedule a conversation, although you might want to wait until January 18, when the Mercury retrograde period is over. Warning: Mercury retrograde can cause miscommunications with coworkers and stressful breakdowns around a detailed project. Triple-check your work before you press “send” or “publish.”
With Mercury retrograde in your administrative sixth house, it’s a good time to pause and take inventory of your own processes. Are you using your time as wisely as you can? Go over the practical stuff, like your basic systems and workflow. There might be an easier way to get the job done. Perhaps you can delegate more of your duties and free up time for you to do other things.
On January 20, the Sun shifts into Aquarius, your seventh house of one-on-one alliances, helping you forge more robust bonds with coworkers and business partners. You and a collaborator might get a chance to do a really fun project together. Or you may enter into a new professional relationship, ready to combine your respective skills and make serious headway on a project. If you’re hashing out the terms of a contract, keep an eye toward fairness. You want to make sure that every aspect of your arrangement is balanced. Create the win-win! The January 21 Aquarius new moon is an ideal day to make a firm yes-or-no decision on a contract you put off during Mercury retrograde.
Love Days: 18, 21
Money Days: 28, 11
Luck Days: 26, 8
Off Days: 6, 20, 24
Identical twin sisters Ophira and Tali Edut (The AstroTwins), have been ELLE.com‘s official astrologers for over a decade. They are the authors of several astrology books, including their popular yearly horoscope guides, and have read charts for celebrities including Beyonce, Karlie Kloss and Emma Roberts. For their spot-on predictions, books and online courses, visit them at astrostyle.com.